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Physiotherapy vocabulary · Instructions and Patient Talk

Tighten

Meaning in physiotherapy, with examples

/ˈtaɪtən/verbCore term

In physiotherapy, tighten means: To make a muscle work so that it becomes firm, often without moving the joint, as in the instruction 'tighten your thigh muscle'.

In Turkish: kasmak, sıkmak

How it is used

Common in patient instructions, especially for isometric and core exercises: 'tighten your tummy muscles', 'tighten your bottom', 'tighten the muscle at the front of your thigh'. Physiotherapists may also say 'squeeze' or 'engage'. The opposite instruction is 'relax' or 'let go'.

Example sentences

  1. Tighten your thigh muscle so that your knee pushes down into the bed.

  2. Can you tighten your stomach muscles without holding your breath?

Common collocations

  • tighten your muscles
  • tighten and hold
  • tighten your tummy
  • tighten and relax
  • isometric exerciseExercise in which a muscle works and tightens but the joint does not move, for example pushing against a wall.
  • holdTo keep a part of the body still in one position for a set time during an exercise or stretch, before relaxing.
  • core stabilityThe ability of the deep muscles around the trunk and pelvis to control and support the spine while the arms and legs move.
  • straightenTo move a joint so that the body part becomes straight and the angle at the joint gets larger; the everyday word for extension.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Instructions and Patient Talk

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.